Method transparent member, optical device using transparent member and method of manufacturing optical device

ABSTRACT

In a method of manufacturing an optical device, a whole substrate is first prepared which has a plurality of regions corresponding to substrates constituting a plurality of optical devices, respectively. A plurality of chips are then mounted to the plurality of regions, respectively. A whole sealing member having a plurality of sealing members is integrally attached to the whole substrate to form an intermediate body. The intermediate body is divided into the above-described regions. Thus, the optical device having a substrate, a chip as an optical element mounted to the substrate and a sealing member with transparency provided at the substrate for the purpose of sealing the chip is manufactured. This manufacturing method improves the efficiency of manufacturing an optical device.

This application is a Divisional of co-pending application Ser. No.11/243,967, filed on Oct. 6, 2005, the entire contents of which arehereby incorporated by reference and for which priority is claimed under35 U.S.C. § 120.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a transparent member used in an opticaldevice having a chip as an optical element, an optical device using thetransparent member, and a method of manufacturing the optical device.

2. Description of the Background Art

Referring to FIGS. 21 to 25, a first method of manufacturing aconventional optical device is described. Specifically, a method ofmanufacturing a package of a light-emitting diode (hereinafter referredto as an “LED”) is described as an example of a manufacturing method ofthe optical device. For the sake of simplicity, respective drawings inassociation with the description below are schematically depicted andnot drawn to scale.

In the method of manufacturing the conventional optical device, as shownin FIG. 21, an LED chip 3 is first die-bonded to a top surface 2 of alead frame 1 as a substrate. Then, electrodes (not shown) of lead frame1 and LED chip 3 are wire-bonded to each other via a wire 4.

Then, as shown in FIG. 22, for example by transfer molding, a protectingmember 6 composed of a cured resin is formed at a prescribed region ontop surface 2 excluding the region around LED chip 3 and wire 4 and at aprescribed region of a bottom surface 5. Protecting member 6 serves toprotect LED chip 3 and wire 4, and in some cases, to reflect lightemitted from LED chip 3 in an upward direction of the drawing.Furthermore, when forming protecting member 6, a concave portion 7 isformed in protecting member 6 on the side of top surface 2. The processdescribed above provides a partially-completed product 8 correspondingto an LED package as one completed product. In this partially-completedproduct 8, a portion protruding from protecting member 6 in lead frame 1functions as a lead of the LED package. It is to be noted that, in thestate shown in FIG. 22, secondary molding may be performed, asnecessary, to fill the space around LED chip 3 and wire 4 with a curedresin having transparency.

As shown in FIG. 23, an adhesive (not shown) is then applied to concaveportion 7 of partially-completed product 8, and a transparent membercomposed of a material having transparency, that is, a lens member 9 isprepared. Lens member 9 is thereafter transported in a state held byadsorption and the like, and aligned with concave portion 7 ofpartially-completed product 8. Lens member 9 individually manufacturedby injection molding, includes a transparent portion 10 having aconfiguration of a partial sphere and functioning as a convex lens, anda plate-like flange portion 11 extending laterally at the bottom oftransparent portion 10, and has a circular shape in plan view.

As shown in FIG. 24, lens member 9 is then lowered to be placed onconcave portion 7, and the adhesive cures to bond lens member 9 andpartially-completed product 8 shown in FIG. 22. Thus, apartially-completed product with a lens 12 shown in FIGS. 24 and 25 iscompleted. Subsequent to the above-described process, the lead issubjected to bending, whereby an LED package is completed.

In addition to the above-described manufacturing method, the followingsecond manufacturing method is also known, depending on the structure ofthe LED package. In the proposed manufacturing method, a layered ceramicsubstrate is used instead of lead frame 1, and a metal cap is attachedto the top surface of the layered ceramic substrate instead ofprotecting member 6, and a lens (a transparent member) is attached to ahole portion provided in the top surface of the metal cap. Thismanufacturing method is disclosed, for example, in Japanese PatentLaying-Open No. 2003-163382. The lens used in this method is a convexlens having a circular shape in plan view and a convex cross-section atits center portion.

In a manufacturing method proposed as a third manufacturing method, alight-emitting diode pellet (an LED chip) on a lead frame is sealed withresin to form a photoelectric conversion substrate having a rectangularshape in plan view, onto which a transparent resin plate (a transparentmember) is mounted. The transparent resin plate has a plate-like portionwhich is rectangular in plan view and a convex lens portion integrated.This manufacturing method is disclosed, for example, in Japanese PatentLaying-Open No. 4-348088. The transparent resin plate with a lens ismolded by an injection molding method.

However, the conventional method set forth above poses the followingproblems. First, in the first and second manufacturing methods, the lens(including the lens member in the first manufacturing method) has acircular shape in plan view and a convex cross-section at the centerportion. This makes it difficult to pick up the lens by gripping oradsorption and the like and to handle the lens during transportationeven if the lens has a small area of a flange portion. In addition, if ajig for a handling operation contacts a portion through which light ofthe lens passes (transparent portion 10 in FIG. 25), the lens will bedamaged. Also, management of inventory and processes become complicatedbecause it is necessary to store, pick up and transport individuallenses in all of the first to third manufacturing methods. Furthermore,it is difficult to improve the efficiency of manufacturing LEDs becauseit is necessary to manufacture lenses and partially-completed productsone by one and then attach one lens to one partially-completed productin all of the first to third manufacturing methods.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a transparent memberwith improved production efficiency and quality, an optical device usingthe transparent member, and a method of manufacturing the opticaldevice.

The transparent member of the present invention is, in an optical devicehaving a substrate and a chip as an optical element mounted to thesubstrate, a transparent member used for the purpose of protecting thechip. The transparent member has a rectangular shape in plan view and isformed by dividing one integral molded body along phantom lines in agrid pattern. This structure allows a plurality of transparent membersto be manufactured together, and therefore, increases the efficiency ofmanufacturing the transparent member. Furthermore, the transparentmember has a rectangular shape in plan view so that it can be held bysupporting its opposite sides. Therefore, errors occurring in handlingof the transparent member and damages to it are prevented.

An optical device of one aspect of the present invention includes asubstrate, a chip as an optical element mounted to the substrate, aprotecting member provided on the substrate so as to surround the chip,and a transparent member attached to a top surface of the protectingmember. Furthermore, the transparent member has a rectangular shape inplan view and is formed by dividing one integral molded body alongphantom lines in a grid pattern. This structure can produce effectssimilar to those caused by the above-described transparent member.

In addition, the optical device of the above-described aspect may beformed by dividing an intermediate body along the phantom lines in agrid pattern. In this case, the intermediate body desirably includes awhole substrate having a plurality of regions corresponding to aplurality of substrates, a plurality of chips mounted to the pluralityof regions, respectively, sectioned by the phantom lines in a gridpattern, a whole protecting member integrally provided on the wholesubstrate as well as having a plurality of protecting memberscorresponding to the plurality of regions, respectively, and one moldedbody attached to a top surface of the whole protecting member and havinga plurality of transparent members.

An optical device of another aspect of the present invention includes asubstrate, a chip as an optical element mounted to the substrate, and asealing member with transparency provided at the substrate for thepurpose of sealing the chip. In addition, the optical device is formedby dividing an intermediate body along phantom lines in a grid pattern.In this case, the intermediate body includes a whole substrate having aplurality of regions sectioned by the phantom lines in the grid patternto correspond to the plurality of substrates, respectively, a pluralityof chips mounted to the plurality of regions, respectively, and a wholesealing member having a plurality of sealing members corresponding tothe plurality of regions, respectively, and integrally provided on thewhole substrate. This structure also can improve the efficiency ofmanufacturing the optical device and facilitates handling of it.

The above-described optical device can be manufactured by the followingmanufacturing method.

A method of manufacturing an optical device of one aspect of the presentinvention includes the steps of mounting a chip as an optical element toa substrate, fixing a protecting member to the substrate so as tosurround the chip, and attaching a transparent member to a top surfaceof the protecting member. The step of attaching the transparent memberincludes the steps of molding one molded body having a plurality oftransparent members arranged at a plurality of regions, respectively,sectioned by phantom lines in a grid pattern, and dividing the onemolded body along the phantom lines to form each of the plurality oftransparent members.

Furthermore, the one molded body preferably includes a double-facedsheet having a base material, a temporary adhesive layer attached to oneside of the base material and an actual adhesive layer attached to theother side of the base material and attached to the transparent member.In this case, the one molded body may be cut along the phantom lineswith the temporary adhesive layer fixed to other members to form theplurality of transparent members, and after that, each of the pluralityof transparent members may be removed from the base material. Then, thetransparent member may be bonded to the top surface of the protectingmember by the actual adhesive layer. This allows the manufacturingprocess to be simplified because it is not necessary to bond thetransparent member to an opening using an adhesive.

A method of manufacturing an optical device of another aspect of thepresent invention is a method of manufacturing an optical device havinga substrate, a chip as an optical element mounted to the substrate, aprotecting member provided at the substrate so as to surround the chip,and a transparent member attached to a top surface of the protectingmember. The manufacturing method includes the steps of preparing a wholesubstrate having a plurality of regions which can be sectioned byphantom lines in a grid pattern to correspond to a plurality ofsubstrates, respectively, mounting a plurality of chips to the pluralityof regions, respectively, integrally attaching a whole protecting memberhaving a plurality of protecting members to the whole substrate, formingone intermediate body by attaching one molded body to a top surface ofthe whole protecting member, the one molded body having a plurality oftransparent members arranged at the plurality of regions, respectively,sectioned by the phantom lines in the grid pattern, and dividing the oneintermediate body along the phantom lines in the grid pattern to form aplurality of optical devices each having the substrate, the protectingmember, the transparent member and the chip.

A method of manufacturing an optical device of still another aspect ofthe present invention is a method of manufacturing an optical deviceprovided with a substrate, a chip as an optical element mounted to thesubstrate, and a sealing member with transparency provided at thesubstrate for the purpose of sealing the chip. The manufacturing methodincludes the steps of preparing a whole substrate having a plurality ofregions which can be sectioned by phantom lines in a grid pattern tocorrespond to a plurality of substrates, respectively, mounting aplurality of chips to the plurality of regions, respectively, formingone intermediate body by integrally providing a whole sealing memberhaving a plurality of sealing members at the whole substrate, anddividing the one intermediate body along the phantom lines in the gridpattern to form a plurality of optical devices each having thesubstrate, the sealing member and the chip.

The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of thepresent invention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of the present invention when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1-4 are partial sectional views for describing a method ofmanufacturing an optical device of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a completed lens member of the firstembodiment.

FIGS. 6-9 are partial sectional views for describing a method ofmanufacturing an optical device of the second embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a partially-completed product with a lens ofthe optical device of the second embodiment.

FIGS. 11-14 are partial sectional views for describing a method ofmanufacturing an optical device of the third embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a cross sectional view of a completed optical device of thethird embodiment.

FIGS. 16-19 are partial sectional views for describing a method ofmanufacturing an optical device of the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a cross sectional view of a completed optical device of thefourth embodiment.

FIGS. 21-24 are cross sectional views of a method of manufacturing aconventional optical device.

FIG. 25 is a plan view of a partially-completed product with a lens ofthe conventional optical device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment

First, referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, a transparent member, an opticaldevice and a method of manufacturing the optical device according to afirst embodiment of the present invention will be described. In eachdrawing described below, the same components as those in FIGS. 21 to 25are designated by the same reference characters. Furthermore, in thefollowing description, an LED chip is used as an example of an opticalelement, and an LED package is used as an example of an optical device.However, the optical element of the present invention is not limited tothe LED chip, and may be a light-receiving element converting receivedlight to an electrical signal, for example, a chip such as a photodiode(PD) or a solid-state image sensor. Also, the optical element of thepresent invention may be a light-emitting element emitting lightdepending on received electrical signals, for example, a chip such as alaser diode (LD). In addition, the optical device of the presentinvention may be a module used in optical communication. In other words,the present invention can be applied to any optical element.

In the present embodiment, a lens member, that is, a transparent member,which is bonded to a partially-completed product having a substrate, anLED chip and a protecting member (see a partially-completed product 8shown in FIG. 23) is manufactured. The transparent member is formed byperforming resin molding to integrally create a molded body including aplurality of lens members and then dividing the molded body.

According to the method of manufacturing the optical device of thepresent embodiment, a lower mold 13 and an upper mold 14 facing eachother are first prepared, as shown in FIG. 1. Then, a prescribed amountof a granular resin material 16 composed of a thermosetting resin havingtransparency is supplied to a cavity 15 provided in lower mold 13.Cavity 15 has a plurality of concave portions in accordance with theshape of the lens member. Each of the plurality of concave portions isformed within a region sectioned by a phantom grid pattern. Also, resinmaterial 16 may be in the form of powder, a mass or a sheet instead of agranule as shown, and may be a thermoplastic resin having prescribedtransparency. A resin material which is liquid at room temperature maybe injected into cavity 15.

Then, as shown in FIG. 2, lowering upper mold 14 (see FIG. 1) causeslower mold 13 and upper mold 14 to be clamped together and resinmaterial 16 to be pressed. Resin material 16 is subsequently heated byheaters (not shown) provided in lower mold 13 and upper mold 14, andmelted. This causes a fluid resin 17 to be formed within cavity 15.Fluid resin 17 thereafter cures to form a molded body 19 composed of acured resin 18, as shown in FIG. 3, that is, so-called compressionmolding is performed. Thus, molded body 19 including a plurality of lensmembers is molded integrally. Note that transfer molding may be carriedout to integrally mold molded body 19.

As shown in FIG. 3, upper mold 14 is then raised to open lower mold 13and upper mold 14. Molded body 19 is removed from cavity 15 and thentransported to a cutting machine used in the next process while beingheld by means such as adsorption.

Then, molded body 19 is temporarily fixed to a stage 21 by a dicingsheet 20 having an appropriate tackiness, in other words, a low adhesivestrength. Molded body 19 is thereafter cut by a rotary blade 22, thatis, molded body 19 is divided, along phantom dicing lines 23 in a gridpattern extending toward a Y direction (the direction from the front tobackward in FIG. 4) and an X direction (the direction from left to rightin FIG. 4), respectively. As a result, a plurality of lens members 25(see FIG. 5) are formed.

It is noted that, as shown in FIG. 5, lens member 25 has a transparentportion 10 functioning as a transparent member, that is, a convex lens,and a plate-like flange portion 24 of a rectangular shape in plan view.This lens member 25 having the rectangular shape corresponds to thetransparent member of the present invention. Each of the plurality oflens members 25 which remains temporarily fixed to dicing sheet 20 isthen transported, stored and shipped.

As in the case of the process shown in FIG. 23, an adhesive (not shown)is applied to a concave portion 7 of a partially-completed product 8.Lens member 25 is then detached from dicing sheet 20, held by adsorptionand the like, transported and aligned with concave portion 7. It isassumed that, in the present embodiment, concave portion 7 shown inFIGS. 22 to 24 has a rectangular shape in plan view corresponding toflange portion 24 shown in FIG. 5.

Then, as in the case of the process shown in FIG. 24, lens member 25 islowered to be rested on concave portion 7, and the adhesive cures. Thus,a partially-completed product with a lens (see a partially-completedproduct with a lens 12 in FIGS. 24 and 25) is completed. After theabove-described process, a lead is subjected to bending, whereby theoptical device (an LED package) of the present embodiment is completed.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, after moldedbody 19 including the plurality of lens members 25 is molded integrally,it is divided into the plurality of lens members 25. Therefore, ascompared to the case of forming the plurality of lens members 25 one byone by injection molding and the like, the efficiency of manufacturingthe optical device is increased. Further, inventory management, storageand transportation and the like are simplified. Lens member 25 also hasa wide plate-like flange portion 24 and a rectangular shape in planview. Therefore, it is possible to grip and adsorb flange portion 24when handling lens member 25. Furthermore, lens member 25 can be held bysupporting its opposite sides even if flange portion 24 has a smallarea. Thus, errors occurring in handling lens member 25 and qualitydeterioration caused by damages to transparent portion 10 are prevented.

Note that, in the present embodiment, molded body 19 is cut by rotaryblade 22. However, the method of cutting molded body 19 is not limitedto the above-described method. Molded body 19 may have grooves formedcorresponding to dicing lines 23, and may be bent to be divided alongthe grooves to form the plurality of lens members 25.

In addition, in the present embodiment, lens member 25 is used as atransparent member. However, the transparent member is not limited tothe lens member and may be a lens member integrated with a barrel (aportion including a protecting member 6 and a lens member 9 on the topside of a substrate 1 in FIG. 23).

Second Embodiment

Referring to FIGS. 6 to 10, a transparent member, an optical device anda method of manufacturing the optical device according to a secondembodiment of the present invention will be described. In the presentembodiment, when a molded body is cut, it is temporarily fixed to astage. In addition, each of a plurality of lens members formed bycutting the molded body is bonded to a corresponding partially-completedproduct. Also, by using a double-faced sheet, the molded body istemporarily fixed to the stage, and the lens member is bonded to thepartially-completed product.

In the method of manufacturing the optical device of the presentembodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, a double-faced sheet 26 is first affixedto the bottom side of a molded body 19. Double-faced sheet 26 has athree-layer structure which is constituted of a base material 27, atemporary adhesive layer 28 for temporary fixing which is formed on oneside (the bottom side in FIG. 6) of base material 27 and has a lowadhesive strength, and an actual adhesive layer 29 for actual fixingwhich is formed on the other side (the top side in FIG. 6) of basematerial 27 and has a high adhesive strength. Actual adhesive layer 29is affixed to the bottom side of molded body 19. Furthermore, actualadhesive layer 29 corresponding to one lens member 25 is patterned so asto be located underneath a flange portion 24 but not underneath atransparent portion 10. Note that when an acrylic-like transparentmember, for example, is used as actual adhesive layer 29, actualadhesive layer 29 may be provided across the entire bottom side of lensmember 25.

Double-faced sheet 26 is then used in place of dicing sheet 20 shown inFIG. 4 to temporarily fix molded body 19 to a stage 21 by temporaryadhesive layer 28. Molded body 19 is thereafter cut by a rotary blade 22along dicing lines 23 in a grid pattern to thereby form a plurality oflens members 25. At this time, each of the plurality of lens members 25is rectangular in plan view and is provided with double-faced sheet 26.

The plurality of lens members 25 are then stripped off from temporaryadhesive layer 28 on stage 21. Thus, as shown in FIG. 7, lens member 25is formed in which actual adhesive layer 29 and base material 27 areaffixed in this order to the bottom side of lens member 25.

After stripping base material 27 from actual adhesive layer 29, as shownin FIG. 8, lens member 25 is transported with flange portion 24 adsorbedby an adsorption holder 30. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, lens member 25is thereafter aligned with a partially-completed product 31, and loweredto contact the top side of partially-completed product 31, and thenpressurized to bond lens member 25 on the top side ofpartially-completed product 31. In other words, lens member 25 isattached to an opening of a protecting member 6 surrounding a chip 3. Alead is then subjected to bending, whereby the optical device (an LEDpackage) of the present embodiment is completed.

As described above, in the present embodiment, one double-faced sheet 26is used which functions as temporary fixing means used in cutting moldedbody 19 and actual fixing means for bonding each of the plurality oflens members 25 to a corresponding partially-completed product 31. Theplurality of lens members 25 are formed by cutting molded body 19. Thus,it is possible to eliminate the process of applying an adhesive topartially-completed product 31, and therefore, the efficiency ofmanufacturing the optical device can be improved.

Third Embodiment

Then, referring to FIGS. 11 to 15, a transparent member, an opticaldevice and a method of manufacturing the optical device according to athird embodiment of the present invention will be described. In themethod of manufacturing the optical device of the present embodiment, asshown in FIG. 11, a whole substrate 33 is first prepared in which aplurality of regions 32 sectioned by phantom lines in a grid pattern andcorresponding to optical devices, respectively, are formed. Note thatwhole substrate 33 includes a printed board and the like. Chips 3 arethen die-bonded to regions 32 each having a rectangular shape in planview, respectively, and electrodes (not shown) of chip 3 and wholesubstrate 33 are wire-bonded to each other by a wire 4.

Then, as shown in FIG. 12, a whole protecting member 34 surrounding achip in each of the plurality of regions 32 is integrally formed bytransfer molding. Note that, in place of this process, whole protectingmember 34 may be integrally pre-molded separately from whole substrate33 and then be aligned with whole substrate 33 to be bonded to it. Usingthese methods, whole protecting member 34 may be integrally provided atwhole substrate 33.

As shown in FIG. 13, a molded body 19 is then prepared (see FIG. 3).Molded body 19 is integrally molded by a transparent resin. It ispreferable that an adhesive sheet 35 is previously affixed to the bottomside of molded body 19. Adhesive sheet 35 has functions similar to thoseof actual adhesive layer 29 shown in FIGS. 6 to 9. Furthermore, moldedbody 19 is aligned with whole substrate 33 and then lowered to bepressed on a top surface (the top side in FIG. 13) of whole protectingmember 34. In other words, molded body 19 is attached such that itblocks an opening of whole protecting member 34 provided to surroundchip 3. Thus, attachment is established between molded body 19 and wholeprotecting member 34.

As shown in FIG. 14, an intermediate body 36 having molded body 19 andwhole protecting member 34 bonded is temporarily fixed to a stage (notshown). Intermediate body 36 is then cut by a rotary blade 22 alongphantom dicing lines 23 in a grid pattern extending toward a Y direction(the direction from the front to backward in the drawing) and an Xdirection (the direction from left to right in the drawing),respectively. Thus, intermediate body 36 is divided into regions 32 toform a plurality of optical devices 37 (an LED package) shown in FIG.15.

Optical device 37 has a substrate 38 which is a division of wholesubstrate 33, a chip 3 mounted on the top side of substrate 38, aprotecting member 39 provided to surround chip 3, and a lens member 25which is a transparent member mounted on the top side of protectingmember 39 to block its opening. In addition, optical device 37 iselectrically connected to another printed board (not shown) or the likeby an external electrode (not shown) provided on the bottom side ofsubstrate 38.

As described above, according to the method of manufacturing the opticaldevice of the present embodiment, whole protecting member 34 surroundingchip 3 mounted to each region 32 of whole substrate 33 is integrallymolded. Also, integral molded body 19 having transparency is bonded onwhole protecting member 34 to form intermediate body 36. Furthermore,intermediate body 36 is divided into regions 32 to complete opticaldevice 37. Therefore, as compared to a conventional manufacturing methodof bonding one lens member to one partially-completed product (see FIGS.21 to 25), the above-described manufacturing method considerablyimproves the efficiency of manufacturing the optical device. Inaddition, lens member 25 constituting optical device 37 is treatedintegrally as molded body 19 until intermediate body 36 is cut. Thus, aplurality of lens members 25 can be integrally held by gripping andadsorbing a portion (a peripheral portion) not corresponding to lensmember 25 of molded body 19. Therefore, errors occurring in handlingmolded body 19 and quality deterioration of the optical device caused bydamages to lens member 25 are prevented. Optical device 37 also has arectangular shape in plan view so that it can be held by supporting itsopposite sides. Therefore, handling of optical device 37 is facilitatedand damage to lens member 25 is prevented.

Fourth Embodiment

Referring to FIGS. 16 to 20, a transparent member, an optical device anda method of manufacturing the optical device according to a fourthembodiment of the present invention will be described. In the method ofmanufacturing the optical device of the present embodiment, as describedusing FIG. 11, a plurality of chips 3 are die-bonded to a plurality ofregions 32 of a whole substrate 33, respectively, and electrodes (notshown) of chips 3 and whole substrate 33 are wire-bonded to each otherby a wire 4. A lower mold 40 and an upper mold 41 facing each other arethen prepared. Note that a cavity 42 is formed in lower mold 40 and, incavity 42, a plurality of concave portions corresponding to a pluralityof chips 3, respectively, are formed within the plurality of regionssectioned by phantom lines in a grid pattern. Whole substrate 33 is alsofixed to upper mold 41 by means of adsorption and the like, as shown inFIG. 16. In addition, as described using FIG. 1, a prescribed amount ofa granular resin material 43 formed of thermosetting resin havingtransparency is supplied to cavity 42.

As shown in FIG. 17, resin material 43 is heated and melted to form afluid resin 44 within a cavity 15, and lower mold 40 and upper mold 41are thereafter clamped together. Then, a heater (not shown) provided inlower mold 40 is used to heat resin material 43. In place of or inaddition to the heater, a contact type heating plate and/or non-contacttype halogen lamp and the like may be also inserted between lower mold40 and upper mold 41. As a result of the above-described process, anintermediate body 46 having a molded body 45 is formed (see FIG. 18).Molded body 45 is composed of a cured resin created by curing fluidresin 44. Intermediate body 46 has whole substrate 33 and molded body45.

As shown in FIG. 18, upper mold 41 is then raised to open the lower mold(not shown) and upper mold 41. Molded body 45 functions as a wholesealing member which integrally seals all of a plurality of chips 3 onwhole substrate 33. In the above-described process, in short,compression molding is carried out to integrally mold intermediate body46. Note that a cured resin may be formed by transfer molding in placeof compression molding to integrally mold intermediated body 46.

As shown in FIG. 19, intermediate body 46 is then temporarily fixed to astage (not shown). Intermediate body 46 is then cut by a rotary blade 22along phantom dicing lines 23 in a grid pattern extending toward a Ydirection (the direction from the front to backward in the drawing) andan X direction (the direction from left to right in the drawing),respectively. Thus, intermediate body 46 is divided into regions 32 toform a plurality of optical devices 47 shown in FIG. 20.

By carrying out the above-described process, optical device 47 (an LEDpackage) of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 20 is completed. Thisoptical device 47 has a substrate 38 divided from whole substrate 33, achip (not shown) mounted on the top side of substrate 38, a transparentmember, that is, a lens member 50 having a transparent portion 48 in theform of a convex lens and a plate-like flange portion 49 and sealing thechip.

As described above, in the present embodiment, chips 3 mounted toregions 32 in whole substrate 33, respectively, are integrally sealed tomold intermediate body 46. Intermediate body 46 is then divided intoregions 32 to form the plurality of optical devices 47. Therefore, ascompared to the conventional manufacturing method of bonding one lensmember to one partially-completed product (see FIGS. 21 to 25), theefficiency of manufacturing the optical device is further improved. Ascompared to the manufacturing method of forming the protecting member ofthe third embodiment (FIGS. 16 to 20), the production efficiency is alsoimproved. In addition, intermediate body 46 can be held by gripping andadsorbing a portion not corresponding to lens member 50 of intermediatebody 46 (a peripheral portion in molded body 45). Therefore, errorsoccurring in handling intermediate body 46 and quality deterioration ofthe optical device caused by damages to lens member 50 are prevented.Furthermore, optical device 47 has a rectangular shape in plan view sothat it can be held by supporting its opposite sides to facilitatehandling of optical device 47 and to prevent damages to lens member 50.

Note that the present embodiment employs a method in which intermediatebody 46 having whole substrate 33 and molded body 45 is moldedintegrally. However, instead of using the above-described method, amember as an alternative to a portion composed of a cured resin may beintegrally pre-molded by a transparent resin, and the molded member maybe used as a whole sealing member. In this case, the whole sealingmember is first integrally pre-molded separately from whole substrate33. Specifically, a portion of molded body 45 other than a prescribedspace around LED chip 3 and wire 4, in other words, a portioncorresponding to molded body 19 and whole protecting member 34 shown inFIG. 4, is integrally molded as a whole sealing member. The wholesealing member is aligned with whole substrate 33 and bonded to it.Thus, the whole sealing member functioning as a protecting member and alens member is integrally provided on whole substrate 33 to form anintermediate body. The intermediate body is then divided into regions 32to form a plurality of optical devices. As a result, each of theplurality of optical devices has a structure in which lens member 25 andprotecting member 39 shown in FIG. 15 are integrated and composed of atransparent resin.

It is noted that, in each of the first to fourth embodiments, lensmembers 25 and 50 have transparent portions 10 and 48 in the form of aconvex lens and plate-like flange portions 24 and 49, respectively.However, the present invention is not limited to the above-describedstructure, and may be formed such that lens members 25 and 50 are intheir entirety to be a transparent portion in the form of a convex lens.In this case, lens members 25 and 50 or optical devices 37 and 47 can beheld by supporting the opposite sides, that is, portions other than thetransparent portion in the form of a convex lens while a dicing sheet(see dicing sheet 20 in FIG. 4) is expanded after having been cut. Thisprevents errors occurring in handling lens members 25 and 50 and opticaldevices 37 and 47, as well as quality deterioration.

Furthermore, wire-bonding is used to electrically connect electrodes ofa chip and a substrate. However, other connecting methods may be used inplace of the above-described structure. For example, a chip may beflip-chip bonded so that light is emitted from a light-emitting elementor incident on a light-receiving element via an opening provided at thesubstrate.

In addition, in the present embodiment, a rotary blade 22 cuts moldedbody 19, and intermediate bodies 36 and 46. However, the presentinvention is not limited to this, and can employ means of cutting(trimming) by a laser beam as well as cutting by a wire saw and thelike.

Lens member 25 of the present embodiment is placed such that its convexportion is directed toward the outer side of the optical device.However, lens member 25 of the present invention is not limited to thisand may be placed such that its convex portion is directed toward theinterior of the optical device. In addition, lens member 25 may have aconvex shape protruding from the main surfaces of both sides of theoptical device, and a shape having a transparent portion in the form ofa convex lens and a light reflecting wall provided therearound. Theseare also applied to molded body 19 of the third embodiment and the wholesealing member described in the fourth embodiment.

For example, if a lens member is not required as in a certain type of alight-receiving element and the like, a plate-like member can be used asa transparent member. Also, after a plate-like molded body is integrallymolded and bonded to a whole protecting member to form an intermediatebody, the intermediate body may be divided to form a plurality ofoptical devices (see FIGS. 13 and 14). Furthermore, a plate-like membermay be provided in place of lens member 50 shown in FIGS. 16 to 20. Inthese cases, the plate-like member is equivalent to the transparentmember according to the present invention.

The present invention may be also applied to any optical device providedwith a light-receiving element or both of a light-emitting element and alight-receiving element.

Although the present invention has been described and illustrated indetail, it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustrationand example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spiritand scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms ofthe appended claims.

1. A method of manufacturing a plurality of optical devices, eachoptical device comprising: a substrate; a chip as an optical elementmounted to said substrate; a protecting member provided on saidsubstrate so as to surround said chip with a space interposed betweensaid protecting member and said chip in a plan view; and a transparentmember attached to a top surface of said protecting member, wherein saidtransparent member has a rectangular shape in a plan view and is formedby dividing one integral mold body along phantom lines in a gridpattern, wherein said method includes: preparing a whole substrate onwhich a plurality of chips are respectively mounted to a plurality ofregions sectioned by said phantom lines in said grid pattern; integrallyproviding on said whole substrate a whole protecting member having aplurality of protecting members respectively corresponding to saidplurality of protecting members respectively corresponding to saidplurality of regions; attaching a whole transparent member having aplurality of transparent members to a top surface of said wholeprotecting member; and forming said plurality of optical devices bycutting said whole substrate, said whole protecting member, and saidwhole transparent member along said phantom lines in said grid pattern.2. A manufacturing method of an optical device comprising: a substrate;a chip as an optical element mounted to said substrate; and a sealingmember with transparency provided at said substrate for the purpose ofsealing said chip, wherein said optical device is formed by dividing animmediate body along phantom lines in a grid pattern, and wherein amethod of forming said intermediate body comprises preparing a wholesubstrate on which a plurality of chips are respectively attached to aplurality of regions sectioned by the phantom lines in said gridpattern, integrally providing on said whole substrate a whole sealingmember having a plurality of sealing members respectively correspondingto said plurality of regions, wherein said plurality of sealing membersfills a plurality of prescribed spaces, each of which including saidchip in each of said plurality of regions, respectively.